
During the budget briefing of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian commented on its rollout of the government’s free wifi program to ensure internet connectivity in the country’s public spaces, which should include public schools. The program had an initial target of putting up free wifi in 125,000 public places.
To date, the free wifi program covers only 6,700 public places, which have approximately 13,000 access points. According to DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy, rolling out the program by subscription in 125,000 public places may not be sustainable as it would require P58 billion a year.
Dy explained that they are exploring more cost efficient ways of rolling out the program, such as a possible collaboration with telecommunication companies where it will identify sites for the construction of new cell sites, especially among geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
To encourage the construction of cell sites in these areas, the government will subsidize commercial losses by covering subscription fees, which will help telcos break even with their costs.
For example, the government can distribute SIM cards and subsidize cellphone load for up to two years to ensure subscription. This will, help improve internet penetration nationwide as the country still needs to construct 60,000 cell sites.
The DICT estimates that P5 billion will be needed to roll out the first phase of its planned free wifi rollout, which will also target public schools and 300 barangays in GIDAs. That budget is not reflected in the National Expenditure Program submitted to Congress before negotiations started.
With so much backlog, the DICT certainly has a lot of catching up to do. The added request to give priority to public schools adds pressure to make the program work. But first, it will need the budget to be able to do its job. If the DICT is serious about the free wifi program, then it should’ve included it in its proposed budget in the first place.
Hopefully the leadership of the DICT just needs to be reminded of their commitment to the program, along with its priority areas if implementation is seriously undertaken.*